System limits of an automatic control

Abstract

A method for transferring control from an automatic control to an operator includes the steps of detecting a first time period in which the automatic control may probably be maintained, of determining a second time period which the operator needs to take over control, and of outputting a message to the operator if the first time period is longer than the second time period by less than a predetermined interval. For this purpose, the second time period is determined as a function of a situation of the operator.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method for transferring control from an automatic control to an operator, comprising:
 detecting a first time period in which the automatic control can be maintained;   determining a second time period which the operator needs to take over control: and   outputting a message to the operator if the first time period is longer than the second time period by less than a predetermined interval;   wherein the second time period is determined as a function of a situation of the operator.   
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the second time period is determined as a function of a present activity of the operator. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the second time period is determined as a function of an activity which the operator is supposed to carry out to take over control. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the second time period is determined on the basis of a transition period from the present to a planned activity. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the activity of the operator includes one of a sensory, a motor, or a cognitive aspect. 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the activity includes multiple aspects and the second time period is determined based on a model which establishes which aspects may be changed consecutively and which may be changed in parallel to one another. 
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined interval is modifiable by the operator. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein a takeover instruction is output to the operator if the first time period is shorter or equal to the second time period. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable data carrier on which is stored a computer program including program code for transferring control from an automatic control to an operator, the computer program, when executed on a processing unit, causing the processing unit to perform:
 detecting a first time period in which the automatic control can be maintained;   determining a second time period which the operator needs to take over control; and   outputting a message to the operator if the first time period is longer than the second time period by less than a predetermined interval;   wherein the second time period is determined as a function of a situation of the operator.   
     
     
         20 . A device for transferring control from an automatic control o an operator, the device comprising:
 an interface for detecting a first time period in which the automatic control can be maintained;   a scanning device for determining a situation of the operator;   a processing device which is configured to determine a second time period which the operator needs to take over control and to determine whether the first time period is longer than the second time period by less than a predetermined interval; and   an outputting device for outputting a call to action to the operator.